Describing his injury, he said: "It comes and goes. I thought I could play through it but I couldn't. Sometimes it gets better. Others, I just deal with it."

Woods will be grouped with Australian world number two Adam Scott and Sweden's Henrik Stenson for the opening two rounds.

Scott could go top of the world rankings if he wins the event and Woods fails to finish in the top 10 but the American said his main focus was to be ready for the Masters at Augusta, where the last of his four victories came in 2005.

He said: "I want to be strong and fit and healthy to play that golf course and give it my best.

"We're taking a really good look at it and trying to come up with a good plan to play that course and trying to win my fifth Green Jacket."